Paralyzed
by crossroads-x3
Summary: AU/AH Bella Swan is content in life. Nothing exciting ever happens, until Alice Brandon comes along and flips her world upside down. How will Bella cope with falling in love with the new girl and future best friend? Will she be accepted or rejected?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of it's characters. All I own is the idea for this story, and the plot. The end.**

**Chapter One**

I had never counted on feeling lonely. When you have great friends, a loving boyfriend, and an awesome family, you expect everything to continue normally. It's strange to have your life turned upside down, where you begin to question your entire being. It happens to everyone eventually, but that doesn't mean I wasn't shocked when it happened to me.

The life of Bella Swan was normal and plain. There wasn't ever any surprising event that occurred outside the norm. A broken bone here and there was expected from a klutz, and was the most exciting thing that ever happened, besides having a quite popular boy ask me out. I had been with Edward Cullen for eight months, and everything was going smooth. He respected my wishes and never forced me into something I didn't want. I _really_ liked him, and wished my feelings would turn into love, but I knew it wouldn't. I would always be comfortable with him, but never in love.

My friends were very mismatched. I had quiet and reserved friends like Angela Weber and Ben Cheney. I also had conceited friends like Jessica Stanley and Jacob Black. Then I had friends like Edward's brother, Emmett, who was boisterous and popular because he played sports, with a jaw dropping girlfriend named Rosalie Hale. There were also a few that hung around but I didn't associate with very much. I was surrounded with a variety of personalities that didn't quite match my own.

I really didn't have a grasp on myself. My interests varied as much as my friends. My personality was nearly impossible to describe. I guess I just hadn't found the person who could bring out the best – and worst – in me. I would have to wait to truly discover myself until I found that person.

My school year was uneventful up until a chilly day in early December. I had a foreign excitement gnawing at my stomach, which I decided was caused by the snow. Snowflakes were falling like giant cotton balls, sticking to the ground. The snow always held a magical look, and had captivated me since I was a child.

Today, there would be a new arrival at Forks High, and the town had been buzzing about it for weeks. Gregory and Mary Brandon, along with their daughter, were returning to Forks after leaving when their daughter, Alice, was one. Gregory's parents were ecstatic and told anyone who would listen that their son was finally coming home. His daughter was my age, so I would probably have her in at least one of my classes. What a joy! I hate introducing myself to people. I hurriedly changed and ate before leaving for school.

Edward was waiting for me, leaning against his silver Volvo. He was wearing one of those hats with ear flaps and a tuft of messy bronze hair was sticking out the front. I had no idea how I had ever landed such a handsome boyfriend. He had high cheekbones, wide electric blue eyes, an angular nose, a wide jaw, and symmetrical lips. His muscular, yet lanky body, was covered by his Letterman jacket. Edward played wide receiver for the high school football team. Emmett convinced him to try out when he snagged quarterback and captain of the team. Edward and Emmett were both extremely talented at sports, and excelled in school. I guess that's the benefit of having an athletic doctor as a father.

I stumbled out the door, making sure I didn't slip on a sheet of ice. "Hello, beautiful," Edward said, pulling me into a hug. "I've missed you," he whispered.

"Missed you, too," I mumbled, not flattered by his compliment. He was always throwing around compliments like they were nothing, which made me believe I _wasn't_ beautiful. I hated looking so plain next to Edward. He deserved better than me.

We rode to school in silence, with our hands intertwined over the gearshift. Edward's car was freezing due to the weather. I picked a bad day to only wear a white v-neck t-shirt with a black hoodie over it with a pair of ripped up skinny jeans. But at least my ears weren't falling off, as I was wearing a black beanie. I tend to dress for comfort, but comfort failed me today.

We exited the car and went over to where Emmett and a gang of football goons were standing. Mostly all of them had a peppy girl attached to their arm, except for Jasper Hale, Rosalie's twin brother. He was popular, and had an air of confidence around him. I always assumed he believed that he was too good to date any of the girls at the school.

"Did the new girl arrive yet?" Edward asked as we approached. I was interested, too, but I knew I would see her in due time.

"Not yet. I hope she's hot, though," Emmett said, earning a smack from Rosalie. "Come on, baby. You know no one is as hot as you," he said desperately. I bet he was just nervous that he wouldn't get any. Everyone chuckled, minus me and Jasper. I could tell that he was uncomfortable with the fact that his sister was sexually active. Although they were twins, Jasper acted like a big brother.

Class was starting soon and I pecked Edward on the cheek before heading off to English. The new girl wasn't in any of my morning classes, so I would have to wait until lunch to see her. What could I say? Forks hardly ever had anything exciting happen, and a new kid was pretty damn interesting.

Edward was already sitting at Emmett's table when I got to lunch. My Spanish class was held back for a few minutes. I wasn't up for the sex jokes Emmett would throw my way, so I went over to sit with Angela and Ben, who were at their own table. Angela refused to sit at her usual table after having a nasty break-up with Eric, who sits there. "Hey Bella," Angela said, looking up from a book she was reading. Ben didn't acknowledge my presence, as he had a comic book up to his nose.

"Hey Ange," I said, taking the seat next to her. "How was class?" I knew Angela would mention if the new girl, Alice, was in any of her classes in response to my question.

"Kind of boring. Alice Brandon's in my Trig class, though, so that was kind of interesting," she replied.

"Really? Was she very nice?" I let my curiosity shine through.

"Yeah, she was. She sat by me, and we exchanged names. That was when Jessica sat down and started bombarding the poor girl with questions. I was going to ask her if she wanted to sit with us, but Jess beat me to the punch. Attention seeking whore," Angela muttered. Jessica played a role in the break-up, and Angela never forgave her. "Mike and Eric will have a field day, though. She's _super_ pretty, so we'll see them frothing at the mouth when she sits with them," she joked halfheartedly. Eric continued to bother her, though she would swear that she hated him.

"Mike wants anything on two legs, Ange. Eric's just lonely 'cause he lost you. He should be, too," I said encouragingly. Eric hadn't had a girlfriend since Angela broke up with him, so it served him right for cheating.

"Now look whose reaping the rewards," Ben looked up with a smirk. He was cute in a nerdy way. Angela smiled at him and gave him a quick kiss. I never felt overly special by being with Edward. Sure, he's gorgeous, but his personality was always lacking. Was his jealousy supposed to make me feel special? It didn't. I felt like I was being controlled, which isn't something I liked. Did Edward really believe I would _ever_ go with Mike? "Is that the new girl, Ange?" Ben asked, gazing at the entrance to the cafeteria.

"Yeah, that's her," Angela said, looking over. I turned my gaze to see the town's most talked about girl. Upon seeing her, I breathing hitched. Angela's description of her being "super pretty" was practically an insult. Alice was even more beautiful than _Rosalie_. That was an amazing feat within itself. She had short, spiky black hair. She was skinny and slender, but she had all the right curves in all the right places. Her face was the definition of beauty. Vibrant green eyes flitted around nervously. She had a slightly upturned nose, high cheekbones, and plump, shell pink lips. She was dressed as if she was trying to blend in. She was wearing a pale blue t-shirt that clung to her body and a pair of tight-fitting jeans. However plain her clothes were, she managed to make it look like it belonged on a runway. The sight of her caused a wave of want to crash over me. Wait... I _wanted _her? She walked with elegance and grace alongside Jessica, making her look completely uncoordinated.

"Bella? Did you hear me?" Angela questioned, causing me to rip my gaze away from the girl.

"Sorry, I didn't. What did you say?"

"I said she's pretty, isn't she? She's smart, too. Mr. Varner asked her a question in Trig and she got it right. _I _didn't even know the answer," There was a bitter undertone to her voice. Angela was a shoo-in for next year's valedictorian, and didn't seem to like the fact that she had a possible competition.

"Y-yeah. She's really pretty," I mumbled. I pulled out my Biology homework that had to be finished for next period. I hadn't gotten around to it this weekend. Neither Angela or Ben interrupted me for the rest of lunch, of which I was glad because this feeling I had was scaring me. I _wanted _another girl? I desperately hoped that Alice wasn't in Biology or Gym with me. I didn't know how I would respond if she was.

The bell signalling the end of lunch sounded. I kept my fingers crossed on the way to Biology. When I arrived, most of the class was already there and the lab table I had to myself remained empty. I let out a sigh of relief and went to sit down. However, my relief was short lived as Mike Newton stumbled into the classroom, nearly drooling, with Alice at his side. She glided over to Mr. Banner, who mumbled a welcome. He scanned the classroom for a free seat and noticed the only one next to me.

"Ah, Ms. Brandon, you can take a seat next to Isabella. Ms. Swan, please raise your hand," he said politely. Reluctantly, I raised my hand. She caught sight of me and danced over.

This was just great. I had Alice Brandon, who had me questioning my entire being – or less drastically, my orientation – sitting next to me for the next hour. I guess life can only get better from here... or so I hoped.

** A/N: So, this story is one that I can write and express previously felt emotion. My story is a little different but it begins the same... sort of.**

** I had begun working on two other Bellice stories, but I got to a point where I couldn't explain the characters feelings. Like I already said, I've felt the emotion experienced in this story, so I shouldn't get writer's block. Plus, Bella's a human in this, so her feelings will be a lot easier to describe.**

** Finally, as this is a first chapter it is quite short. Most chapters ahead **_**will**_** be longer, but I haven't written any yet. **

** Oh, and feel free to leave a review if you want to. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own the Twilight Saga. Stephenie Meyer does. If I did, however, Edward wouldn't have been such an overprotective ass, even though he shows those tendencies in this story.**

**Chapter Two**

Alice sat down next to me, her bright green eyes dancing across my face. I stared back at her, lost within her eyes. They were the most attractive part of her face, and were doing funny things to me. Her eyes caught mine and it was like my stomach had thousands of excited worms wriggling around inside it. Describing the feeling as "butterflies" didn't quite do it justice.

"Hi, I'm Alice Brandon," she said. Her voice was like velvet and honey; smooth and sweet. Was she _actually_ a human? I decided it would be polite to introduce myself, so I attempted it.

"I'm, uh. I'm," Come on! You know this! The teacher said it two seconds ago! I continued to try and figure out my name, but remained unsuccessful.

"Isabella Swan?" Alice supplied, smirking at me. This kid must be psychic. Figuring out my name let me get my thoughts together and I was able to create a coherent response.

"Yeah. B-Bella for short," I stiffly extended my hand, and when her hand came into contact with mine, I felt a subtle tingle resonating in my palm.

"It's nice to meet you, Bella," she said sincerely. My name seemed so _right_ coming out of her mouth. It only made my want for her to grow. I _really_ have to stop thinking like this! She's a girl, for crying out loud! Thankfully, Mr. Banner chose that time to start class, distracting me from the girl sitting next to me. However, no matter how hard I tried to get lost in the lecture, I could sense her next to me. It was like her presence called to me, inviting me to reach out and touch her.

Just as I was at the brink of insanity, fighting the urge to touch, the bell rang and I slumped in my seat, sighing in relief. Once again, my moment was cut short.

"Bella? Would it be too much trouble to ask you where I would find the gym?" She blushed, obviously uncomfortable with being unaware of her surroundings. This wasn't good. I had Gym next, too.

"Um, I have that now, too, so you can just, uh, follow me," I mumbled. Maybe I'll get lucky and she'll have to sit out today, seeing as she's new. I would end up being even more dysfunctional in class with a distraction as big as Alice, _especially_ if I had to see her change.

I walked ahead of her, trying to focus on walking and not tripping up. I wanted to say something, but I felt inferior and chose to wait for her to initiate conversation. We were half way to the gym when she finally spoke up.

"So, Bella. What do you guys do for fun around here?" How could she remain so calm and collected with the tension between us? _Probably because she's straight and would never want you._ That's a good reason why, I guess.

"Um, well, sometimes we go to the beach," she looked at me like I was crazy. It probably sounded crazy, but Forks _did _have a few days of decent weather. "There are parties, sometimes, too. Other than that, nothing fun ever happens," I was proud of myself. I managed to get out three sentences without sounding like an idiot.

"I've always wanted to go to a high school party!" Was she seriously saying that she's never been to one? Maybe she was an outcast at her old school. I was an outcast here, too, until Edward came along.

"Well, you'll get your wish in a few weeks. My boyfriend, Edward, and his brother, Emmett, always throw a party for New Years. Everyone's invited, so you'll get to go," I smiled encouragingly. Alice grinned back, leaving me dumbfounded. I wanted her again. I had to get my thoughts together if I ever wanted to be friends with this girl. Maybe having her as a friend would quench my want. Or maybe, at the Cullen's party, I could give Edward the ultimate present that he's been waiting for. That _might_ make me fall in love with him and forget about Alice.

"Yay!" Alice squealed. "I'm excited now, Bella! You've officially made my day!" Her excitement was wearing off on me. Maybe we would become fast friends and I'd have someone to get ready with. I desperately wished she would want to be my friend as badly as I wanted to be hers.

We arrived at the gym and, feeling chivalrous, I held the door open for her. Thankfully, she _didn't_ have to participate in Gym today. I managed to only fall once, and stayed out of everyone's way. As I was exiting the gym, Alice danced over to me.

"Have a nice fall?" her eyes were sparkling with amusement. I blushed a violent shade of red, glared mockingly at her, and raced off to the changing room. At least she has a sense of humour. Upon leaving the locker room, I noticed Alice leaning against the wall.

"Sorry about what I said just now. It was kind of funny, though," she mumbled, blushing. It was an adorable site to see and made my stomach clench.

"Don't worry about it. I fall all the time," I blushed at my words. Although it was true, I hadn't wanted to admit that. Alice chuckled at me. I better get out of there before I start saying even _more_ embarrassing things. "Um, I have to go. See ya tomorrow, Alice," I mumbled and headed off in the direction of the parking lot.

Edward had ghosted over to me and I was happy to be in the safety of his arms where all still felt normal. That was until I begun thinking about the feel of a different set of arms around me; a pair I actually _wanted_. Trying to smother those feelings, I stretched and pressed my lips to Edward. He eagerly kissed me back, as our relationship didn't have the same level of intimacy it used to have as of late. I pulled back as his hands begun to trail lower. I looked around the parking lot, hoping no one was looking. I caught sight of Alice, her eyes widened in disbelief, but as soon as I looked at her, she averted her gaze. I wonder why was she looking at me? The voice in the back of my head spoke up, _Because your boyfriend had his hands all over you in the middle of the school parking lot. _Good reason.

Edward hardly said anything on the way home, except to ask how my day was. I told him it was good, even though I was unsure about my response. Could the day you realize that you might be into girls – or _a _girl – be a good day?

"So, did you meet the new girl?" Edward asked abruptly as I was about to get out of his car.

"Yeah. She's really... pretty," I said. I felt ashamed of my adjective. Edward's eyes widened in alarm and I could see the subtle jealous in them. Sometimes, it was like he could read my mind, and at this moment it scared me. Did he hear the attraction in my voice when I spoke of her? As I had done many times before, I covered up my thoughts and stared blankly at him. He blinked and any trace of jealousy I had previously detected had vanished. "Have you met her?"

"No, but I have seen her. She is quite pretty," Edward stated. He confused the look of mild anger on my face as one of jealousy. I know I had called her pretty in an attempt to cover what I really thought of her, but Edward spoke as if pretty was the best word to describe her. "Oh, love, it's no need to be jealous. She'll never be as beautiful as you," he reached out and stroked my cheek and I fought the urge to cringe. I really had to stop wishing for another pair of hands, or arms to touch and hold me. It wasn't fair to Edward.

"Yeah, sure. I'm going to go and start Charlies dinner, so I'll see you tomorrow?" Edward nodded, smiling angelically at me.

"Do you want me to pick you up for school tomorrow?" His voice was full of hope, but I had to let him down. I needed some space to think about what I was feeling. I made up a lie on the spot and was surprised when it worked.

"I have to give Charlie a ride to the station tomorrow so he can get Mark to bring him to Dowley's. The cruiser had something wrong with it and he needed to get it fixed," Edward nodded in understanding although his face fell.

"Well, I guess I'll have to wait to see you at school. I love you, Bella," he flashed a crooked smile that would stop the heart of any girl. It used to have the same effect on me, but now I was becoming addicted to another smile. He leaned in and pressed a chaste kiss on my lips. As soon as we connected, I felt guilty for wanting someone else. Love was evident in Edward's side of the kiss which broke my heart, knowing I couldn't ever love him that much.

"Loveyoutoo," I mumbled, ducking my head and quickly exiting his car. Snow was still falling heavily as I raced to the steps. Edward left once I got to the door. I figured that Charlie could eat the leftover lasagna if he was hungry, so I climbed the stairs to my room. I shrugged out of my freezing clothes and pulled on a pair of comfortable sweats, collapsing on my bed.

No matter how much I wanted to ignore the dilemma I was in, I had to think about it. Was there something wrong with me? I mean, I've known Alice for a few hours and yet there's a want for her that's never been there with Edward. Edward was nearly perfect and loved me passionately, yet I felt an overwhelming attraction to a straight girl who's even more perfect than Edward and was hardly my friend. It's not like she would _ever _want me. Maybe this was just a phase that would fade after knowing her for a while. These feelings could easily be blamed on the excitement of a new kid. Or maybe it's because I've always been a sucker for green eyes and she has the nicest eyes I've ever seen.

I remained on my bed, finding other possible reasons of why I wanted her. The more possibilities I came up with, the more unlikely they seemed. I put on headphones and let music play softly. I had come up with a few more possibilities when the voice in the back of my head intervened, supplying it's own opinion.

_Or maybe it's because you have a crush on her, _it whispered. No. That's not the answer. I wouldn't accept the voice's reason... yet.

** A/N: I think the voice is quite wise, don't you? Although it gave that suggestion, Bella isn't going to accept it yet. I want this story to develop slowly so it seems real. A friendship, some conflict, and a little bit of other stuff has to happen before anything big happens in this story with Bella and Alice.**

** In a review I received, I was told that my contradictions might confuse my readers. If that's the case and I have confused you, I'm sorry. But, as I explained to my reviewer, Bella is unsure of who she is, so there's got to be some contradiction. She'll stop as the story unfolds, but expect it for a while yet.**

** Thanks to everyone who put my story on alert after only one chapter. :) I wasn't expecting so many alerts.**

** As for when I'll be posting, I'll try to make it once every week. I'm still a high school student, so I have to get my work done, too. **

** Finally, I hoped you liked chapter two. A review would be welcomed. :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Drum roll, please. I do not own the Twilight Saga. No copyright infringement was intended upon writing this piece. However, I take credit for my own ideas and the writing of this story. That will be all.**

**Chapter Three**

I barely slept last night. Thoughts of Alice plagued my mind, leaving excitement wash through my veins and making it impossible to sleep. How could one girl have such an effect on me? After thinking about her for the thousandth time, I decided that a shower would make me feel better, and it did, somewhat.

I wanted the hot water to was away my thoughts of Alice. I had been raised to believe that caring about someone of the same sex as more than a friend was intolerable. Of course, that was Charlies outlook. Renee had specifically told me to be happy with whoever I loved as long as they loved me back. However, I was living under _Charlies_ roof, because my mother was dead. Even five years after the fact, knowing Renee was gone still punched a hole through my chest. I loved her dearly and was excited to have her go to my graduation, wedding and all other important events in my life. But in the blink of an eye, the excitement died abruptly, just like her.

Without a moments notice, tears spilled over, mingling with the shower's water. I stood there, letting the tears fall for a long time. It was like being told she'd died all over again. The water began to run cold and I was finally able to collect myself, steering my thoughts in a safer direction. Although I wanted nothing more a while ago than to have Alice removed from my head, I let her dance back in, obscuring my depressing thoughts.

I wished that there was a simple resolution to the feelings I had towards the girl. I mean, to be able to pull me out of my darkest memories in a second must mean something, even if I didn't want it to. I went dressed in one of Edwards wrinkled sweaters and a pair of skinny jeans. The scent emanating from it gave me a safe haven away from thoughts of both Alice and my mom.

I applied enough makeup to cover the bags and redness on my face, somehow making it look like nothing was wrong. I rushed downstairs, quickly eating. I shouldn't have spent so long moping in the shower. If I didn't hurry, I would be late for school.

My truck roared as I tried surpassing the fifty five mile limit it had, pulling into the school parking lot. As I slammed the rusting door, the warning bell rang. I ran to class, somehow managing to stay on my feet the whole way there. I spent the classes before lunch thinking. Was Alice here today? What was she doing? Which boys were flirting with her? Were they succeeding in their attempts to seduce her? Was she thinking about me as obsessively as I was thinking about her? That was the one question I knew the answer to; of course she wasn't thinking about me. I'm just Bella; no one of importance. At this thought, a feeling of emptiness settled into my stomach because I knew it was true.

When the bell rang for lunch, I bolted to the door, earning a surprised look from my teacher. I usually took my time to pack up my things. When I'd get to the cafeteria, the lunch line would always be shorter. I walked at a brisk pace towards the lunch room. Maybe if I ate, it would fill the hole inside me. As I was about to reach the doors and food, my salvation, an alluring voice called out to me.

"Someone must be hungry," the voice said with a hint of amusement. I turned around to see Alice walking behind me. My breathing hitched and I blushed at my embarrassing reaction to seeing her. She gave me a toothy smile, causing my heartbeat to speed up.

"St-starving, actually," I stuttered. Damn Alice and her ability to make me even more awkward than usual.

"Well, come on, then. Don't want you to die of hunger, do we?" she said, walking up and linking her arm with mine causing an electric current to run up my arm. This was... unexpected. We only knew each other for a day, and yet she was acting like we were old friends. Alice dragged me to the lunch line, and we quickly bought our things. Then, she grabbed my arm and pulled me to an empty table. Was she serious? Although I didn't object to sitting with her, I was unsure of her purposes. She noticed my hesitation and stopped, looking at me with an ashamed expression. "I-I'm sorry, Bella. I should have asked if you wanted to have lunch with me," she said, ducking her head. "I-it's just that I feel like we're going to be great friends, a-and you're the nicest person I've met here, a-and you were walking here all by yourself," her ramble looked like it had no end, so I cut her off.

"It's alright, Alice. I would love to sit with you," I flashed a reassuring smile, to which she heaved a sigh of relief.

"Thank God. I didn't think I could put up with another half hour of Jessica whispering about how cute Mike is when he chews his food a certain way, or how adorable it is when he pouts," she muttered. I laughed loudly at that. Mike Newton chewed his food like a dog and showed similarities of a caveman when he pouted. Alice joined in, and after several minutes our laughter subsided. The emptiness that was once in my stomach was absent now and my food didn't look as appetizing as it did when I bought it. Alice ate, and I sat there in silence, playing with the cap of my juice.

"So, yesterday when you mentioned that New Years party... you said your boyfriend was hosting it. Which one's your boyfriend?" she asked curiously, looking around the cafeteria. Her question hit me, and I realized I forgot about Edward until now.

"Um, yeah, Edward is...," I scanned the cafeteria and noticed him sulking at the popular table. "He's the one slumped in his seat with the bronze hair." He must have felt the heat from my gaze, as his eyes snapped up to mine. Once he realized who I was, his face broke into a lop-sided grin. I wished that it would have the same effect on me as it did months ago. He stood abruptly, nearly knocking over his chair, and jogged over to me.

"Bella, baby! I was so worried! I thought you were sick or something! Where were you this morning?" His voice was too loud for my liking. I wanted to hear a soft velvety voice instead of a thunderous one.

"I took a long shower and lost track of time," I said lamely. It was the truth, but still. That was when I realized what I told him. About two months into our relationship I opened up to him about Renee and how whenever I thought about it, or any other upsetting thing, I would take long showers so Charlie wouldn't hear me sobbing. His brow furrowed as he understood what I had accidentally told him. He then observed my makeup slathered face and obviously noticed the signs of my breakdown.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he murmured, attempting to make sure Alice couldn't hear. However, he did not speak low enough, because Alice's eyebrows furrowed, too. I shook my head.

"Maybe later," I muttered. Edward was persistent when he wanted to make me happy, so I decided on changing the subject. "Ed, this is Alice," I said, motioning my hand toward her.

"Ah, the new girl. It's a pleasure to meet you, Alice," he said sincerely, flashing a crooked smile. It appeared that the smile had no effect on her.

"Likewise," she replied. I really wanted to be alone with her again, because Edward was testing my patience with every second he stood there. Thankfully, a call from across the cafeteria attracted his attention.

"Eddie! Get your butt over here, now! It's party plannin' time!" Emmett boomed. Most people chuckled at his raucousness, and I was one of them.

"Brothers," Edward muttered affectionately. Although he tried passing it off, he absolutely adored his family. "I guess I'll see you later, Bell. I love you," he grinned, leaning in. I gave him a chaste kiss and turned back to my lunch.

"Love you, too," I mumbled. Alice's expression was blank when I looked up at her. Then it broke into a grin that made my heart stutter.

"Well, he sure is a cutie," she winked. I blushed, and I wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because she winked at me.

"Yeah, he is," I mumbled. Alice then changed the topic to the highly anticipated party.

"So, this big party. What's going to happen at it?" she asked excitedly.

"The usual stuff," I said, raising an eyebrow. "Dancing, beer, PDA, and a few people getting lucky," I smiled at her lack of knowledge of common things. At these parties, sex and alcohol was inevitable for most. I, however, wouldn't _ever _give my virginity to some drunken boy who has no feelings for me like the girls around here did.

"What do you bring? What do you _wear_? Oh God, this is going to take a lot of decision making. Hey! Do you think you'd want to help me get ready? You seem to have some experience with this type of thing," she said frantically. When I hesitated, she jutted out her bottom lip, confusing my thought process.

"Yeah, sure. Of course I'll help you get ready," I mumbled. Thankfully, my answer was coherent. Alice's face lit up like someone had turned a light on inside of her.

"Thanks, Bella! You're the best!" I blushed and ducked my head and stuffing my face with food. If I was eating, she would be less tempted to have a conversation with me.

The bell rang then, and we went to Biology and then Gym, making small talk about favourite colours, books, movies, etc. I was in a blissful state while with her. I decided that being friends with her would be better than ignoring her. The want was there, as usual, but it was bearable.

When we entered the changing room, I remembered that Alice would have to play today. _Shit_. I went over to my locker, and started to silently get changed. Alice's locker was across the room, but I still had a clear view of her. She began to lift her shirt and I tried to move my gaze away from her, but it seemed frozen. She removed her shirt and began searching through her locker.

My eyes moved south of her face. She was wearing a purple, lacy bra over perfectly circular breasts. She had a tiny waistline and a taut stomach. It appeared that she worked out. Alice turned back on to me and I noticed two dimples above the waistband of her tight-fitting jeans. My core started to throb pleasurably and my stomach tightened. I finally found the strength to avert my gaze when she tugged on a Forks High t-shirt. I quickly pulled on my shorts and raced out of the room.

Gym passed quickly and I tried escaping as fast as possible. When I got to the exit, a small, yet firm hand grabbed my arm and spun me around. There was a tingly sensation shooting up my arm, so I knew who it was who grabbed me. I turned to see Alice grinning childishly at me.

"I just wanted to say thanks again for agreeing to get ready for that party with me. It means a lot," she said. Then, unexpectedly, she leaned in and pecked me on the cheek. "You really are the best, Bella," she stated before skipping off to the parking lot.

My cheek burned as I stared, wide-eyed, after her. The kiss seemed burned into my skin, making my stomach wriggle, my heart race and guilt to rush through my veins. Edward didn't deserve to have me lusting after someone else. _Especially_ not the new _girl_. No matter how much I wanted to deny it, I knew deep down, under my attraction for boys, that I liked Alice. The voice had been right in stating I had a crush on her and the effect her kiss had on me proved it right.

** A/N: Well, that's another chapter. I hoped you liked it. :) Sorry for the week wait, but school work + the Harry Potter premiere kept me busy.**

** I'm going to upload a picture/banner thing on my profile, if you want to check it out. :) It's just gonna show how I picture the characters. They're the original Twilight actors, but seeing as their appearances change from movie to movie, it shows the ones I prefer.**

** Until next time, peace out. ;D**


	4. Chapter 4

** Disclaimer: I still don't own the Twilight Saga. If I did, I wouldn't be writing this right now, would I?**

**Chapter Four**

The week continued with Alice and I sitting together at lunch everyday. However, we started sitting with Angela and Ben. Edward remained at his table, but met up with me in the mornings and between classes to tell me he loves me. Each time, I would respond halfheartedly.

I tried to smother the want I felt towards Alice, but each time it came back with a vengeance. Somehow, I was able to keep Alice in the dark and control my emotions while in her presence. I felt horrible whenever I changed my facial expression into one of a blank mask and I lied about what was wrong. Each time, her brow would furrow, but to make me feel comfortable, she would either change the topic or engage in meaningless conversation with Ben or Angela.

Edward had been taking note of my vacant expressions and continuously pestered me into telling him what was wrong. I would tell him nothing, and after a few minutes of badgering me he would give up. I knew that he meant well, but he wouldn't take well to me having a girl crush. He might react better to it than to me having a crush on another boy, but I wouldn't risk it. I didn't want to end up alone. I know how selfish it is, but I love Edward an extent where I could be happy with him, just not overjoyed.

"Bells? Did you hear me, babe?" Edward's voice cut into my inner-babbling.

"Shit. I'm sorry, Ed. What did you say?" I asked, trying to sound curious. We were currently at his house, on a Friday, brainstorming some ideas for his New Years party. Alice had asked, for the second time ever, if I had wanted to hang out with her, but I had to politely, and sadly, decline, as I had already promised Edward that I would spend some time with him. However, I suggested hanging out on Saturday to Alice, and she enthusiastically accepted my invitation.

"It doesn't matter, Bell," he muttered, looking at me with concerned eyes. "Are you sure you're okay? You've been thinking of Renee a lot recently, haven't you?" Edward presented the perfect excuse, so I went along with it. I _was _thinking of Renee a lot more as of late, but not nearly as much as I was thinking of Alice. I nodded at him solemnly.

"Yeah. It's her anniversary next month, and I've sort of been reliving the memories," I said. Tears burned in my eyes, threatening to leak out. I hated speaking of her, although I loved her very much. Edward wiped away the single tear that fell and pulled me into a tight, comforting hug.

"I'm here for you, babe. _Always_," he murmured in my ear. I knew he meant it, but I didn't want him to. I wanted _Alice_ to give me comfort in moments like this. I knew that was impossible right now, seeing as she didn't even know that my mother was six feet under.

"Anyways," I said, pulling out of his embrace. "What were you saying?" I asked as brightly as I could.

"Oh. I was asking you whether I should bring in a DJ or if I should DJ the party. What do you think?" I carefully weighed the outcome of each. If he brought in a DJ, he would be glued to me the entire night. If he worked the music, I could spend a bit more time with Alice.

"Maybe you should do the music for the party. It would save you a few hundred dollars. Besides, you're better than most DJ's out there," I flirted, knowing that if he thought I thought he was good at working the music, he would want to do it to impress me further.

"Thanks. I'm still not sure, though. I'll think about it. I still have a week and a half to think about it, right?" he asked rhetorically. I nodded anyway, gazing absently at the TV. After about five minutes, he interrupted my thought process again. "Bella, can I ask you something?" Edward questioned seriously.

"You just did," I answered sarcastically. His brow furrowed in mock anger and I grinned at him. He couldn't keep up his angry pretence for long, and ended up laughing. I used to find that laugh so attractive and contagious. Why couldn't I still feel that way?

"Seriously, Bella. I've been meaning to ask this for a while," his face shifted back into seriousness as he continued. "W-why, um, please don't take this the wrong way, Bella, as I respect your views on the topic," Edward pleaded, and I knew what was coming. "But, why, Bella, why won't you have sex with me?" Although I was expecting it, his question still managed to catch me off guard.

"Um, I don't know how to answer that, really. I-I guess it's just that I would feel like I was disappointing... Renee, because sh-she wanted me to wait for marriage. Besides that, though, I-I'm not ready for that kind of thing, yet, Ed," I muttered pathetically. Another reason that I had now is that I really didn't want to end up calling out the wrong name if we did _it_.

"Oh, God, Bella. You never told me your mothers view on it. I-I shouldn't have brought it up with her being on your mind lately. Sorry," Edward responded. I put my hand on his sympathetically. He looked up at me with puppy dog eyes. It was cute, but I _have_ seen cuter.

"It's okay, Edward," I smiled. I leaned in to give him a comforting kiss, hoping that if he put enough passion into the kiss that it would ignite the lust and love I used to have for him. His chapped lips met mine and fell into our usual rhythm. He pushed his tongue into my mouth without asking for entrance and quickly started tracing the contours of my mouth. I pushed my tongue forward to battle for dominance, but quickly lost. Edward pushed me back on the couch, hovering over me as he deepened the kiss. I entangled my hands into his messy bronze hair and pulled him closer. The lust was still absent on my part, but he was a decent kisser when he actually tried. I knew that the lust was present in him, however, as I could feel his jeans tighten against my leg.

I felt Edward's hands inching down my waist to the hem of my shirt. I was about to pull away and scold him, when my phone vibrated in my pocket, successfully interrupting us. Edward groaned and got off me, sitting on the other end of the couch. I flipped my cell open to see that I had one new text. When I opened it, my stomach erupted into tingles. The text was from Alice.

_Hey, Bell. Are we still on for tomorrow? :) _A grin spread across my face and I smiled dumbly at the screen. Of course we're still on for tomorrow! I wouldn't miss it for the world! I could feel Edward staring at me, but he was the furthest thing from my mind.

_Of course we are. _I speedily typed. We hadn't even made plans on what we were going to do, but I was still really excited. Edward continued to watch me as I tapped impatiently at my phone, eager for a response.

_Want to hang out at my house and watch movies? :D _I would do anything she wanted as long as it involved being in her heartwarming presence.

_Sure. :) _I text back immediately. Alice's response followed mere seconds later.

_Alright. See you tomorrow at 6, and bring an overnight bag. :) _I didn't reply, just in case she didn't want to talk to me anymore.

"Who was that? Your secret lover?" Edward snickered at such a ridiculous. I forced a smile. Not my secret lover, but the one I secretly loved. Wait... did I really just think that? I didn't love Alice. I was strongly attracted to her, but I wasn't, nor will I ever be, in love with another girl.

"Ha ha. Very funny, Edward," I muttered sarcastically.

"Come on, babe. Don't be like that. I was just playing with you," he grinned at me. I really wasn't in the mood to be around him anymore. I stood up abruptly and started to walk toward the door.

"Whatever, Ed. It's getting late, and Charlie will be back from La Push, soon. I better get going," I lied. Charlie wouldn't get home until later tonight, but Edward didn't know the difference. Besides, I needed time to think before tomorrow came round.

"Fine," Edward said as he began to sulk. "Bye, Bell. I love you," I heard him call as I closed the door. I tried to escape before he could say it because the guilt was beginning to eat away at me. If I wanted to see if I could feel the way I used to about Edward, we would have to connect on another, deeper level. I just didn't know if I was ready for it.

I knew I wouldn't even consider it anymore because it seemed that I liked to suffer. Why not get closer to the straight girl you have a crush on? Why not slowly pull away from your boyfriend who loves you just to spend time with said straight girl? I was slowly becoming more and more fucked up because of Alice, but it didn't matter to me as long as I got to stay near her. She began to matter more and more to me, gradually making the importance of everyone else minimal.

The theory of loving her became less insane over the course of the night, and I was sure it would become accepted as fact after the next day.

**A/N: So. This was a chapter I wanted to get done and over with, which is why I posted so soon. Edward and Bella **_**are**_** together and need to spend some time with one another. Next chapter has Alice and Bella time, so I'm excited to write it and have you read it. :)**

** Edward's not going to be out of the picture, yet. Then again, he won't be for most of the story. He just won't be the boyfriend for much longer.**

** The next chapter will probably be up this weekend, seeing as I have a lot of cramming to do for a bunch of tests at the end of this week.**

**I'd love to get some feedback, even though this chapter isn't that exciting. I do want to know who likes the story and what not. :) So why not give me an early Christmas present and leave me a review? ;)**


	5. Chapter 5

** Disclaimer: Still don't own the Twilight Saga... still wish I do.**

**Chapter Five**

When I woke up, I was surprised to see that it was noon. I had went to bed early, but I guess the lack of sleep since Alice's arrival in Forks was catching up with me. I went downstairs to see that Charlie had left me a hastily written note.

_Bella,_

_ I'm going down to Billy's to watch the game. I might not be back before you leave, so have fun, kiddo._

_ -Charlie._

Well at least he won't be here to question me about my impatience. I poured a bowl of cereal and ate it slowly, eager to waste time. The clock continued at its regular pace, however, so I dumped the rest of my food into the garbage and went to find something else to occupy me.

I grabbed my beaten copy of _Wuthering Heights _and read for a while. Luckily, I got caught up in the story and when I next checked the clock, it was four thirty. I decided that it was a good time to shower, so I bounded up the stairs, tripping once on the way, and into the bathroom.

The water didn't faze my eagerness as I had intended, as I was nearly bouncing up and down while washing my hair. Once my shower was over, I attempted to do something with my mess on my head. After getting nowhere, I dried it and ran my hands through it, pushing it back, a couple of times. It was twenty minutes past five when I went to pick out an outfit.

I took caution with deciding what to wear. After all, I may be meeting Alice's parents. I know it was foolish and that they wouldn't judge me too harshly because I was only Alice's friend but I decided to play it safe, anyway. I pulled on a pair of jeans and a black Batman t-shirt with the yellow logo on it. I double checked what I looked like in the mirror and was relieved to see that I looked as decent as my boyish self could look. I stuffed a few things into my overnight bag and set off.

I pulled into Alice's driveway, letting the roar of my truck calm me. I was nervous about staying at her house. There were many things to worry about. One of the biggest worries on my mind was the sleeping arrangements. I didn't know if I could control myself if I had to share a bed with her.

I entered the clearing and my mouth fell open at the sight of Alice's house. It was nicer than Edward's house, which was open, bright, and welcoming. It was made of brick and looked professional, much like what I pictured a judge's house would look like. I dragged my feet forward to her front step and knocked lightly. I could hear the shuffle of footsteps just beyond the door before it was yanked open and I was greeted with the sight of a smiling Alice. "Hi Bella!" she shrieked, enveloping me into a hug.

"Hello," I mumbled, stepping backward out of the embrace. Her eyes roved over my body quickly before meeting my gaze.

"You look hot," Alice commented, winking playfully. "I love Batman. Come inside so we can get to watching some movies. I picked out ones that you might like, instead of making you watch chick flicks with me," she rambled as she grabbed my hand and tugged me into her house.

The inside was as professional as the outside. The foyer was painted a pale brown and had several ivory accessories scattered all over the place. A winding wooden staircase was to the right, leading upstairs, which was where Alice was guiding me. She pushed open the third door to the right and we entered what was obviously her room. Behind the mass amount of movie posters, paintings, and sketches, you could see bright yellow paint. Off in the corner, there was a desk with a sewing machine, and next to it was a mannequin with a half finished dress onto it.

A king sized bed dressed with a quilt, was pushed off into the opposite corner, decorated with a million teddy bears. I would have considered it ridiculous for a junior in high school to have their bed decorated with stuffed animals, but with Alice, it seemed cute and fitting.

One wall was dedicated to shelves full of CD's, books, and movies. I glided over to the shelves and trailed my fingers along the spines of her collection. "Do you like it?" Alice asked, sounding nervous.

"Yes. Your room is so... _you_," I said, incapable of finding a better adjective.

"I'll take that as a compliment, then," she responded playfully. "So, are you ready to watch some movies?" she questioned excitedly. I nodded. "Well, drop your bag and come on!" she dashed over to me, pulling me out of her room. Noticing my confused expression, she said, "We're going to watch them in the rec room, which is in the basement."

"Oh. What movies are we watching?"

"Well, I assumed that you like horror movies, so I picked out a few," Alice murmured. She was right, of course. I absolutely _loved_ horror movies, but I rarely had anyone to watch them with. Edward would always make up an excuse to either miss the movie or make me watch some lame romantic comedy.

"What ones did you pick out?" I was curious as to what I would be watching and hoped, for Alice's sake, that I hadn't seen the ones she had decided on.

"Um, there's one of my favourites called _The Descent_, and a new one I've been dying to watch, called _Jennifer's Body_," I looked at her queerly, and she stuck her tongue out at me. "What can I say? I love Megan Fox. Have you ever watched the _Child's Play _movies?" Oh, hell no. Creepy dolls were _not_ my thing. One time, my Grandma Swan gave me a porcelain doll for my birthday, and I had cried until Charlie finally removed it from my room. I feared it would come alive at night and slit my throat or something. Alice was waiting on my answer, so I reluctantly muttered that I didn't.

"_What_? How could you not have watched them?" she asked, her eyes widened in disbelief. I shrugged in response. "Well then, we're watching them tonight, and I don't care how late we have to stay up to watch them," her voice rang with finality as she lead me to the basement door.

"Alice? Is this the company you were expecting?" a deep, gravelly voice said.

"Yes, Dad," she answered bitterly.

"And why have you not introduced your mother and I to your... _friend_?" Alice's father came into my view, and I was surprised by what I saw, although he looked familiar. He was tall, with subtly wrinkled skin, and a worn, tired expression. The only features he and Alice shared were their eyes and hair colour. However, his eyes were dull but had a feisty undertone to them, while Alice's were lively and kind. Mr. Brandon was decked out in an obviously expensive suit and was adjusting his satin tie.

"Sorry, Dad. I had thought you and Mom had left for your Christmas party already. Anyway, this is my friend, Bella Swan," Alice waved her hand in front of me like I was some type of prize on a game show. "Bella, this is my father, Gregory Brandon," she said his name with subtle venom colouring her tone. Her father extended his hand, and I attempted to shake it, but realized that Alice still had her hand wrapped around my wrist from when she was leading me to the basement. I glanced at her father to see his eyes flicker between her hand on my wrist to her eyes. Mr. Brandon's eyebrows rose and his eyes connected with Alice's, asking her a silent question. She shook her head and released her grip on my wrist.

I placed my now free hand in his and noted that his grip was firm and his hands were calloused. He released my hand quickly and looked at Alice again. "Your mother and I will be leaving shortly. Behave yourselves," he ordered, and I sensed a double meaning in his words. He was really uptight. We were only going to watch movies, not torch the house down. Without any warning, he stormed away, leaving confusion in his wake.

"Al, why does your dad look so familiar?" I enquired. There was something _really_ familiar about him, but I couldn't place it.

"You've probably seen him on TV in a lame commercial about how he'll 'fight for your rights'. He puts the Brandon in Brandon and Hartford Ltd.," she said, her face free of any emotion. Now I understood why her house was so professional... her father is a lawyer. Her entire demeanour shifted back into her usual, bubbly self as she excitedly said, "Ready to get scared out of your wits?"

"Sure," I was curious about her and her father's previous interaction, but that was wiped from my mind when Alice grabbed my hand and the tingles spread through me, putting me into a confused daze.

Alice's rec room had a plasma screen TV, a large, black leather couch stationed in front of it, a pool table off to the left and a stacked bar to the right. She guided me to the couch and left for a few minutes to grab pillow. I sat, waiting patiently, and prayed that she didn't get her _Child's Play _movies.

When she returned, she turned off the lights and began to play _The Descent_. It was a really creepy movie, and I jumped slightly a few times. At one part, however, I actually cringed because one girl into it breaks her leg and the bone sticks out. I was never good at looking at injuries like that. There was some sort of tension between Alice and I, and near the end of the movie, she increased it. Alice threw her pillow on my lap, placing her head on top of it. She must have noticed me looking at her, because she turned her head and asked, "Do you mind? I can move if you want me to," I shook my head and tried to refocus on the movie.

The urge to reach out and run my fingers through her silky, coal black hair hit me hard, momentarily stunning me. I breathed a sigh of relief when she got off me to switch movies. I took the moment to compose myself, hoping I looked normal. "Did you find the movie scary?" Alice asked, as if knowing that I did and she was proud of it.

"Not really," I lied. It _was_ scary, but I wouldn't give her the satisfaction of knowing that the movie did freak me out.

"You're a terrible liar! I saw you jump like, ten times!" she said exuberantly, her eyes dancing in amusement.

"Fine. Maybe it was a little creepy, but it wasn't that bad. I've seen scarier."

"Whatever, Bella. We both know you're creeped out by the movie and that you'll never go near a cave, again," Alice retorted teasingly, winking at me. God, I wanted to kiss her so bad right now. She danced back over to me, getting back into her position. I had become accustomed to the want in me and it became bearable, I still wanted to kiss her, but I knew I would never act upon it.

At one point in _Jennifer's Body_, Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried were in whatever Amanda's character was name was bed room talking about something or other. I wasn't paying attention to the movie, as it wasn't scary at all and held no interest to me. But then, surprisingly, Megan and Amanda kissed, captivating my attention. I stiffened as the want coursed furiously in my veins. Alice noticed my reaction and paused the movie, turning around to face me. "What? Does seeing two girls together make you uncomfortable?" Alice asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No," I muttered. It doesn't make me uncomfortable... it just makes me aroused.

"Are you sure? You seem kind of tense...," she trailed off.

"I'm sure, Alice. I just... have a bad back," I lied, again.

"Sure you do," Alice said sarcastically, sitting up. "So, it _doesn't _make you feel uncomfortable?" she questioned, leaning forward, closer and closer to my face. I shook my head again, but Alice was able to see my discomfort, no matter how hard I tried to hide it. She leaned even closer and whispered, "What about this? Are you uncomfortable, now?" Her minty breath washed over my face, making my heart pound hard. Our noses brushed and my eyes started to droop slightly, in reaction to the kiss I was anticipating.

**A/N: Dun dun dun. Sorry, guys, I hadn't intended to end it like this, but I did. There's more Alice and Bella time in the next chapter, so don't worry. :)**

** I'm kind of iffy on this chapter, but I thought it turned out okay. I intend to have Bella get to know Alice a bit more in the next chapter, so prepare for dialogue. **

** A review would be greatly appreciated... just don't hate on me too much.**

** It's 2am here, so I'm off to bed. See ya next time! :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Writing these disclaimer things is getting old, quickly. Stephenie Meyer owns the Twilight Saga, not me, so please don't sue. Thank you. **

**Chapter Six**

My eyes were shut tightly while I could feel Alice's presence close to my face. Her nose brushed against mine again and I heard a giggle erupt from her. Then, I felt a soft, chaste kiss placed on my cheek. I opened my eyes to see Alice returning to her previous position.

"Don't worry, Bella. I was only pulling your leg," she said softly, pressing play on the DVD remote. Really? Why would someone even joke about that kind of thing? Then again, it was naïve of me to believe that she would actually want to kiss _me_; a _girl_.

The movie continued to play, but this time I played less attention than before. Was Alice aware of how she was toying with me? I mean, she flirted with me, and then goes in for what I assumed to be a kiss, but then pulls back to laugh? What was I to her? Some pathetic kid that she could get a laugh or two from? Well, I was serving my purpose, wasn't I?

I rested my head on the back of the couch, trying not to think. I had learnt to block out my thoughts when I started going out with Edward. I was fearful that maybe he could hear my thoughts and would ditch me as soon as he heard the things that ran through my head. I felt the same way with Alice, except even worse, seeing as my thoughts were wrong, and to her, probably disgusting.

I wasn't aware that the movie was over until I felt a tiny finger poking my forehead, awakening me from a dreamless slumber. "Hey sleepyhead," Alice whispered. "The movie is over. Let's go on to bed."

My eyes fluttered open to see Alice's amused eyes dancing across my face. Her seductive lips were just a few inches away from mine. I could close that gap in less than a second. Damn it. I shouldn't be thinking like this. She might be able to hear my inner babble. Oh Lord.

Alice grabbed my hand, pulling me off the couch with surprising strength for someone so small. I was still half asleep as she tugged me up to her room. "Get in your pyjamas, Bella," Alice ordered as she walked over to her dresser. She pulled out a pair of red silk pyjamas. Without warning, she yanked her shirt off, making my mouth go dry. The sleepy haze that had muddled my consciousness evaporated immediately. I stumbled over to my overnight bag and hauled out a pair of Edwards boxers, which I had stolen from him, and an oversized t-shirt. I tried to let the task of changing occupy my mind and I kept my eyes glued to a poster of a ballerina that was adorning the wall. It would be an uncomfortable situation if Alice noticed me staring at her while she was half-naked.

Alice was busying herself with removing the stuffed animals from her bed. Her eyes flickered over to me and when she noticed I was watching her, her pale cheeks shaded a delicate pink. I must look like some sort of stalker, just standing there watching her every move. I moved over to her and began helping her remove the animals from her bed. She grinned sheepishly at me, and I couldn't help but return the smile. I wanted to be angry at her for the earlier events, but she was far too cute to stay mad at.

"Thanks. Do you want the inside of the bed, or the outside?" she questioned politely.

"Doesn't matter. You choose," I replied. She slid into her bed and asked me to turn off the lights. It was actually a clear night in Forks, so the moonlight streamed in through the window, illuminating her room. I slid in next to her, keeping my back to her so I didn't feel any… urges to do something rash.

"Night, Bella," Alice said, rolling over to face the wall.

"Night."

There was an electrifying current pulsating between us. It was impossible to ignore, so I just lay there, trying to keep my mind blank. Alice's breathing stayed the same for the half hour we were just lying there, until she decided to break the silence.

"Bella? Are you still awake?" she whispered, just in case I _was_ sleeping.

"Yeah."

"Do you want to play twenty questions or something? I can't sleep," she said, turning around. I turned to face her, too, surprised that she was so close.

"Sure. You start, though," I yawned. Alice giggled, probably at the horrendous face I made while yawning.

"Okay. When's your birthday?" she asked eagerly. I was expecting a random and completely orginal question that normal people wouldn't think of.

"September thirteenth. Yours?"

"May sixth. What's your favourite colour?"

"Uh, blue, I guess. Yours is obviously yellow, so I can skip that question," I smiled while she stuck her tongue out at me. "What's your favourite song?"

"That's a hard question. I guess I'll go with World So Cold by Three Days Grace." I raised my eyebrow questioningly. Bubbly Alice's favourite song was a depressing song by a _rock band_? I would have never guessed. "What's _your_ favourite song?"

"Home by Daughtry," I replied without a moment's hesitation. "Why's World So Cold your favourite song, exactly? Sad music doesn't suit you. No offence."

"Um, well, a few months before I moved here, I had a bad break-up, and listened to that song continuously," she answered as her cheeks darkened. "What do you see in Edward?" I wasn't expecting to be questioned about him.

"Uh, a lot of things," I lied. I didn't know _what _I saw in him, to tell you the truth.

"Like?" she pressed on. Why does she even _care_?

"Um, well, he's really sweet. He's smart, athletic, kind-hearted," I mumbled. I didn't really care if someone was smart or athletic. Those were just dominant traits that Edward had, and they popped into my mind. "He's always there for me, even when I don't want him to be."

"I see. How long have you guys been together?" her face portrayed innocent curiosity, but hidden in her eyes I could see the desire to know.

"Eight months. Isn't it my turn to ask a question, now?" Alice nodded reluctantly, causing me to chuckle. Then, I remembered that she said she had a bad break-up. If she was allowed to meddle into my love life, I was allowed to inquire about hers, right? "What happened with that bad break-up you mentioned, if you don't mind my asking?"

"I don't mind. I was dating one of my best friends for a while because he had this huge crush on me since we were kids. He knew some of my darkest secrets, but I knew none of his. After a few months, I decided that I could only ever love him as a friend. He took it really hard when I broke up with him and he sought revenge. He told everyone the secrets he knew would ruin me. I was living in a small town quite like this one, so word spread fast. Everything got back to my parents, and they were livid that they had raised such an 'abomination'. What he did is the reason we moved here. My dad only began speaking to me again a few weeks ago, when he gave me conditions that I would have to follow so he wouldn't kick me out. I'm sure you noticed the tension between us earlier."

I nodded. I _had _noticed the tension between them.I wondered what kind of secrets Alice had that would cause such a drastic reaction from her parents. It wasn't any of my business, but I would find out in due time, I was sure. "Anyways. On to a less touchy subject," Alice said, smiling gently. "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I wasn't sure what I wanted to be. Maybe an English teacher or an author. I was still undecided.

"I don't know. Maybe an author. What about you?"

"I _want _to be a dance instructor. My dad believes that I should become a lawyer and carry on with his firm when he retires. My mom agrees with him," she sighed.

"You like to dance?" I figured as much, seeing as she walked with the grace of a dancer. Alice nodded enthusiastically.

"I _love _to dance."

"Then why don't you want to become some famous dancer rather than just an instructor?" I asked curiously. I mean, she obviously has the face and the body to make it into the business.

"I want to help kids find the same beauty and release that I found in dancing," she replied without hesitation. "Sometimes it's not all about the money, you know?" Could she be any more perfect? "I just wish my parents could see it that way. Do your parents want you to be something other than an author?"

"No. My dad, Charlie, doesn't really care about what I decide to do as long as I'm happy doing it," I murmured into the night.

"What about your mom?" she inquired. Damn it. I knew she would ask about my mom one day, but I didn't expect it to be so soon.

"Um, well, I wouldn't know, exactly," I said, attempting weakly to avoid the subject.

"What do you mean?" Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Well, heaven doesn't have a phone," I mumbled, feeling tears sting in my eyes. I averted my gaze from hers. The last thing I wanted was to see sympathy flash in her eyes. I didn't want pity from anyone. Especially not her.

"Oh, Bella. I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed as she threw her arms around me. I clenched my jaw, fighting back tears, and inhaled deeply. Alice's scent engulfed me, calming me. The burn in my eyes subsided more quickly than usual. This girl had some strange effects on me.

"It's okay. It happened years ago," I said, making sure she didn't feel guilty.

"If this isn't rude, and you don't mind answering, h-how did she die?" Alice asked cautiously.

"Car accident. Drunk driving caused it. My friend, Jake, lost his mom in the accident, too. His dad is paralyzed from the waist down from it, but at least he made it out alive." I breathed in deeply again, making sure tears wouldn't form.

"Do you know whose fault it was?" she asked softly, as the question was asked any louder, she would break me. Of course I knew who it was. I let the memory of who caused it be buried, though, so I could try to live a normal life without letting hatred for my mother's murderer colour it. If I let myself recognize it was _his _fault, I wouldn't have been able to bear the last several years. If I put his face as the cause, I wouldn't be able to live with myself. If I acknowledged that it really was his fault, I knew I would feel like I was betraying Renee by just letting him breathe. I promised _him_ that I would forgive and forget. I was young and foolish to vow that.

"No," I lied. Alice seemed to sense that I didn't want to talk about it anymore.

"Well, I think we've done enough talking for one night," Alice said. She wrapped her arms around me again and pulled me in for a tight hug. "I really am sorry, Bella," she whispered in my ear.

"Thanks, Al. Night."

"Night," she whispered as she released me. I rolled around to have my back facing her, so I could let my tears freely fall. She draped her arm lazily across my waist, as if she knew that physical contact with her would keep me from breaking down.

With Alice's comfort, I slept dreamlessly. I woke in the morning because of sunlight streaming through the window and onto my face. Alice was no longer lying next to me, and she was nowhere in her room. I figured she was in the kitchen because I could distantly smell bacon, eggs, and toast.

I stumbled sleepily down the stairs and into the kitchen, where Alice was sitting at the island, eating. She looked up at my arrival and smiled. "Morning. Sleep well?" I nodded, still not conscious enough to form a vocal response. "Would you like some breakfast?" I nodded again, at which she giggled.

Alice hopped off her stool and danced over to the stove, getting me breakfast. I would have objected to her stopping eating just to get me food, but oh well. At least I would get service with a smile. She walked back over with a plate overflowing with food, making my mouth water.

"There ya go. Try to aim for your mouth, Bells," she joked, aware of my dazed state. My brain was functioning enough to chuckle. I liked it when she called me Bells. It sounded more natural than when Edward said it. Ugh, speaking of, I knew I would have a thousand text messages from last night, just from him.

Alice was an amazing cook. Her skill beat mine, which is nearly impossible to do. "You're a really good cook," I tried saying with my mouth full.

"Thank you. You're pretty talented at talking with your mouthful," she replied, winking at me, making my cheeks turn crimson. We ate in silence after that, until I realized that her parents weren't home.

"Where are your parents, Al?"

"They stayed overnight in Seattle. They were gone to a Christmas party, and when they go to those, they turn into their true, alcoholic selves," she responded, grinning slightly. "They should be back soon, though."

"Well then, I better skedaddle my butt out of here soon. No offence, but your dad kind of scares me," I teased lightly.

"He has that effect on people," she agreed, her eyes crinkling as her smile impossibly widened. Damn it. She was too cute for her own good.

Once we ate breakfast, I went and got changed. Today I wore another superhero t-shirt, but this time it was Spiderman. I tugged on a pair of light blue jeans, gathered my stuff and headed downstairs. Mr. Brandon called when he and his wife were in Port Angeles, which was fifteen minutes ago, so I decided to head out early to make sure I didn't run into them.

Alice was sitting in her living room, curled up on the couch, watching music videos on TV. She glanced up at me and said, "You really don't have to leave so soon."

"Creepy dad, remember?" I replied, grinning. She rolled her eyes and giggled. She pushed herself off the couch, grabbed my hand and began to lead me to the door. She leaned against the door frame as I put my shoes on.

"It was great having you here, Bells. I can't wait to do it again sometime. Next time, we should have stay at your house, though, so no creepy dads can interfere."

"Yeah, sure. You can come over before the New Year's party to get ready, and stay over afterwards, if you want. Charlie will probably be down to the reservation for the bonfire party they throw every year. He usually stays down there 'cause the drinking gets out of hand, so there will definitely be no creepy dads."

"I'd love to. I'll see ya tomorrow, then," Alice said. For the third time ever, she leaned in and pressed her warm lips to my cheek. She lingered there for a second before pulling back and grinning sheepishly. My cheek was on fire again, but this time I felt no guilt. Only pleasure.

"See you tomorrow," I agreed. Deciding on returning the favour, I leaned in and gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek. I left before she could respond, and jumped into my truck. As I turned the beast around, I looked into my rear view mirror to see Alice still leaning against the door frame, staring after my truck, with her mouth agape. It was probably just my mind playing tricks on me, but I could have sworn I saw her reach up and gently touch the cheek I had just placed a kiss on, as if trying to force the feeling to stay there.

Even if it was just an illusion, it was a damn good ending to my sleep over with Alice.

**A/N: Yay! Another chapter! Please don't hate me for the beginning, though. I actually kind of liked how this one turned out.**

**There's not really that much to say, except sorry. This chapter would have been up earlier this week if I didn't have so much homework. **

**I would love a review. **** In fact, I'd like one so much that I'm willing to rap for one: Drop some talk in the review slot. I know. I'm a dork. At least I'm proud of it.**

**Until next time, farewell. ;D**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: We all know that I don't own the Twilight Saga, right? That Stephenie Meyer does? Good. I really don't have the money to afford a good lawyer, seeing as I only get a ten dollar allowance every week…**

**Chapter Seven**

I was right in thinking that my phone would be blocked with texts from Edward. They started off with the usual "_Hey, babe. What's up?_" Then they started becoming nervous with "_Bella, did your phone die or something?_" and _"Bella, baby, are you angry at me?_" Then, of course, he started to become hysterical with "_Oh, God, Bella. Are you OK?_" and _"Damn it, Bella. Answer me! I'm worried sick about you!_"

For the fun of it, I deleted his texts and didn't respond. I didn't want Edward to put a damper on the mood I was in. Charlie was out when I got home, so I didn't have to be questioned about my sleepover. I mean, what good would come out of accidently mentioning to my homophobic father that my beautiful _female_ friend almost kissed me, but I was disappointed when she didn't? That's right. Nothing. Seeing as that was one of the most prominent moments of our sleepover, and because I'm an idiot, it was bound to slip out.

Seeing as it was a Sunday and my selection of clothes was becoming dangerously low, I decided to do laundry. I was occupied by this chore for about an hour before a harsh knock sounded on the front door. I had a feeling that I knew who it was. There was only one person who would show up without a phone call or not bust in like it was their home.

Sure enough, when I reluctantly opened the door, Edward was standing there with his brow furrowed. As soon as he noticed it was me who answered, he sighed in relief, smiling what he believed to be a sexy crooked smile, and pulled me into a tight embrace.

"God, Bella, I was so worried about you! What happened to your phone?" he questioned frantically.

"I, um. I lost it," I lied feebly. He would _probably _be angry if I told him that I was slightly amused by him worrying like a mother would, so I didn't reply.

"Oh. Well, it's good to know that you're okay. I was scared something might have happened to you. Do you want to do something? Hang out, maybe? I missed you yesterday, babe." I guess it was time for another lie.

"I'm sorry, I can't today. I have an English essay due tomorrow, and you know how fussy Mr. Mason can be about deadlines. I'm going to be spending the rest of the day on it." Edward frowned at me. He knew I usually had assignments completed within the first two days it was assigned. This time was no exception, but he didn't need to know that. I didn't want his company today. In fact, I didn't want anyone's company except Alice's. Damn, I miss her.

"You mean _you_ of all people don't have the essay finished yet? I find that hard to believe."

"Well, if you remember, I slept over to Alice's last night. It's kind of hard to hang out with friends and write an essay at the same time," I snapped back. Just then, at the most inopportune time, my phone sounded from my back pocket. Edward's eyes narrowed when he heard my phone chime.

"I thought you lost your phone, Bella?"

"I did. I found it in a pair of jeans while I was doing the laundry, seconds before you knocked." I flipped my phone open, revealing a text message from the one and only, you guessed it, Alice.

_Hey, Bells. __ I was wondering if you could pick me up for school tomorrow. My car broke down and my Mom won't let me use hers. _

I speedily replied, agreeing to pick her up, and received an equally fast thanks. Now it was time to get rid of Edward so I can wait for tomorrow peacefully.

"I have to start my work now, Edward. I'll see you tomorrow at school," I said, turning around.

"Do you want me to pick you up for school tomorrow?" he asked hopefully. I think he was getting worried that I was going to break-up with him soon, seeing as I didn't want to hang out. Jesus. Does he have to be so clingy?

"No, thank you. Alice asked me to give her a ride because her car broke down. I already agreed, and it would be rude to cancel on her."

"I could pick you up and then we can stop in and get her. It's no big deal, really," he retorted, smiling at me.

"No offence, Ed, but she doesn't even know you. I doubt she would feel comfortable getting a ride from a stranger," I replied. I saw he was about to argue, so I quickly cut him off. "I _have _to get to work, Edward. I'll see you at school tomorrow." With that, I shut the door, dragging myself into the living room, and slumping onto the couch.

What was I going to do about Edward? Sure, I loved him, but I wasn't _in_ love with him. I guess I could wait until after the holidays to break up with him. I mean, he's a good guy and deserves to enjoy his party. He wouldn't be able to have a good time if I broke up with him now. Most likely his time would be spent moping around.

I decided that it was an appropriate time to cook dinner, so I trudged into the kitchen and started to make lasagne. Charlie bounded into the kitchen, collapsing into a chair. It was strange to see him in his police uniform on a Sunday.

"Where were you today, Dad?" I inquired.

"A girl went missing some time yesterday evening just outside of Port Angeles. We decided to lend a hand in combing the woods. No signs of her yet," he said, heaving a sigh. I handed him his dinner, which he immediately started shovelling into his mouth. He didn't say anything for the rest of dinner until he downed his water and informed me that he was going to bed, seeing as he would be leaving early to help search again.

It was only seven, so I wandered around the house, tidying up anything that seemed dirty in the slightest, trying to occupy myself. At nine o'clock, I deemed it appropriate to go to bed. I slid under my cold comforter and eagerly waited for sleep to encompass me.

I woke up earlier than usual today, which meant I could take my time in getting ready. I prolonged my time in the shower, hoping the hot water would wash away the excitement of seeing Alice this morning. The water didn't help at all, however. When I got out of the shower, I blow dried my hair before getting dressed.

Seeing as Alice had labelled me as "hot" when I wore my Batman t-shirt, I decided to wear it again under a thick sweater. It was snowing heavily outside, so I pulled on my beanie, too. Why spend so much time drying my hair just to go outside and get it damp? It made no sense to me.

I still had plenty of time before going to pick Alice up, so I made pancakes. I drowned them in syrup then ate it slowly, savouring each bite. Seeing as I still had about ten minutes, I quickly rinsed off the dishes I used before nearly racing out of the house.

Alice was waiting under the overhang of her house with a scarf wrapped securely around her neck. She was wearing a black pea coat which was quite similar to one Edward had tucked away in his closet. She was adorable. She smiled as my truck neared her and dashed forward as soon as I stopped moving.

She hopped in and I noticed that her nose was slightly pink from the cold. "Thanks for the ride, Bella. I wouldn't have asked if my mom would have lent me her car."

"Don't worry about it," I said as I pulled out of the driveway. We chatted about what we did yesterday on the way to school. Alice said she had to finish up her essay. It turns out that Mr. Mason assigned both English classes the same assignment.

We entered the parking lot, and I could see Edward off in the distance, with the football goons again, standing around like they were too cool to be here. Edward's choice in friends had always irritated me before, but the irritation grew more prominent with each time I hung around with them.

Alice and I got out of the truck when she notified me that her shoe was untied. She knelt down next to my truck and I walked around to wait for her. As soon as I rounded the beast, however, I was met with a ball of powder right in the face. I heard Alice laughing wickedly. Had it been anybody else to hit me with a snowball, I would have been pissed. With Alice, though, I couldn't help but chuckle. Wiping the water out of my eyes, I saw Alice standing up and brushing snow off of her knees. I decided to get revenge while she was distracted. I dove at her, tackling her to the ground with ease. She squealed and we ended up rolling around in the fresh layer of snow, laughing like maniacs. This was probably the most fun I've had in a while.

After several minutes of giving in to our childish nature, we got off the ground, ignoring the stares that were casted our way, and attempted to clean as much snow off of our clothes as possible. It was hopeless. I knew I would be drenched in a bit, so I quit wiping away snow. Alice danced over, linking her arm with mine. "Don't you ever tackle me into the snow again, Isabella Marie Swan," she attempted to say menacingly.

"Don't ever throw a snowball at me again and I never will, Mary Alice Brandon," I replied teasingly. I knew she hated her name more than I hated mine, which made saying it all the more fun. She mock glared at me, which ended in her laughing.

"Deal," she said. She looked forward and I noticed that her smile dimmed fractionally. Most wouldn't notice, but I had grown accustomed to her 100-watt smile, and could tell when it faded even the tiniest bit. I followed her gaze and to my displeasure saw Edward trotting towards us. His eyes locked on our linked arms for a moment and his face tightened slightly.

"Hey, love," he exclaimed with false cheer. He wrapped a possessive arm around my shoulder, pulling me further away from Alice, and tilted my head up for a kiss. This kiss wasn't what I was used to with Edward. This one was hard and held no passion or love. It felt like he was trying to prove something, or for lack of a better description, mark his territory.

"Hey," I muttered, looking at my feet. Alice's arm left mine completely, then, and I looked up curiously.

"I'm going to go to class now," Alice said, answering my silent question. She cast a sly glance at Edward, who was oblivious, and a faint smirk touched her face. "See ya at lunch, Bells," she said, adding emphasis to my nickname. Then, she leaned up and kissed me on the cheek before dancing away. Edward's face was drawn tighter than before, and his hands formed claws as he glared at a retreating Alice.

I cast a glance at my watch and told Edward I had to get to class, too. He said goodbye and stormed off in the direction of the gym.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully and before I knew it I was sitting next to Alice at our usual lunch table, opposite Ben and Angela. Conversation flowed easily like it usually did. I was enjoying lunch until a velvety voice whispered, "Hey, beautiful," in my ear. I fought the urge to shudder. I looked over my shoulder to see Edward staring expectantly at Alice.

"Do you mind if I have that seat?" he asked with fake politeness. Alice looked up at him as if she hadn't noticed his presence before, and raised an eyebrow at him.

"Actually, yes, I do mind. This is my usual seat and I'm not moving just because you decide that you want to sit here today. Besides, is there not a seat free on the other side of the table?" she asked, fighting to hide a smirk at his dumbfounded expression. "That's what I thought. You can sit there if you'd like." Edward glared at her for a second before slouching over to sit next to Ben.

Conversation grew tense and Alice was quiet next to me. "So, babe," Edward called from the other side of the table. "Before my party are you going to come over and hang out for a while?"

"I would, but Alice and I are hanging out beforehand," I answered. His face fell.

"Well, Alice, it seems like you're stealing all of my time with Bella away from me," he said with a false smile. I knew he was only trying to joke with her to stay on my good side.

"Jealous?" she retorted, tearing her eyes from her magazine to meet his gaze.

"Somewhat. It seems like my girlfriend is starting to like you more than me," he said in an attempt to be playful. I blushed a deep red, which usually happened when something embarrassing was true, which Edward picked up on, his face becoming a mask of disbelief. Alice had returned to flicking through her magazine, so she hadn't noticed anything unusual.

"I understand why she'd like me more than you," she mumbled loud enough for him to hear. Edward's eyes were still glued to my face, and I saw anger and hurt flash through their blue depths. For the second time today, Edward stormed away, leaving the cafeteria all together. Alice looked after him, wide-eyed. "My bad," she whispered apologetically.

For some weird reason, the incident made me laugh, and I continued to laugh until Alice joined in, and we chuckled in sync, perfectly harmonious.

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. I've just had some personal issues to deal with, and I didn't want that negativity to infiltrate into my writing. **

**I thought this chapter came out alright, and I'd like to know if you thought so or not. Leave a review or a PM or whatever if you want. It would be appreciated. **** Next chapter is Christmas and the party, just so ya know.**

**By the way, I had a review that I agreed with. I said that I wanted to move this story slowly, and I should clarify what I meant. I meant I want Alice and Bella's relationship to go slowly. There're a nice few chapters before anything romantic of the sort happens between them. I didn't mean feelings, because those are irrational and you can't help how quickly they develop in real life.**

**Finally, if I have any Jewish readers out there, I hope you had a Happy Hanukkah! **

**Until next time, bye!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: Still don't own the Twilight Saga or any of its characters. I will one day, though, after I you know, take over the world.**

**Chapter 8**

"How about this one, Bells? Do you like it?" Alice asked as she twirled back into my room for the tenth time that evening. Apparently what you wear to your first party actually _means_ something.

"Yeah, sure. That one looks nice. I think you should wear it," I replied, actually taking in what she was wearing this time. She had on skin tight, dark blue jeans that complimented her legs and butt. She was also wearing a pale blue, button-up, plaid shirt with enough buttons undone that gave a clear view of her cleavage. To finish off her outfit, a pair of black stilettos graced her tiny feet. "Do you think that _heels_ are the most appropriate thing to wear on the last day of December, though?"

"Finally! I've gotten a decent response out of you _including _constructive criticism! I'm so proud right now," she remarked, her eyes twinkling from her teasing. "Might I remind you, though, that I'm Alice Brandon and not even snow and ice will stop me from wearing these babies."

"Whatever. If you fall on your ass I'm going to laugh at you."

"Shush, Bella. Toss me my gel, please? I need to fix my hair." I chucked the bottle of goop at her, which she caught graciously and smoothly exited the room in her death traps.

I lay back on my bed, sighing as I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. Flipping it open, a message from Edward popped up, reading, _I miss you, Bells. Can't wait to see you after. :) _I replied with a quick "_See you,_" before putting my phone on silent. That boy was getting on my last nerve.

Things between Edward and I had grown tense since that conversation in the cafeteria two weeks. He grew much more clingy as I became increasingly distant. Every time we were together, which was to my dismay, a lot over the holidays, there was a giant elephant in the room that both of us were avoiding. He read me too well and sure as Hell knew why I had blushed that day, but he was leaving it alone just to keep our relationship together.

On Christmas, Edward showed up at my door, a thin rectangular box wrapped in golden paper with a white bow overflowing it in his hand. It turned out to be an obviously expensive necklace from _Kay Jewelers _that had a golden heart pendant. I smiled brightly, or as brightly as a false smile could be, like a good girlfriend should at receiving jewelry, and thanked him halfheartedly meanwhile growing more and more frustrated on the inside. I had lost count of how many times I had told him that I _hated _receiving gifts in general, let alone something as expensive as jewelry. I gave him a couple new games for his Xbox, and he looked as though it was genuinely the best present in the world, even though I knew it probably didn't even cost half as much as my necklace.

Alice had shown up that day while Edward was still there. As she entered the living room along with me, I introduced her to Charlie, who fell for her cute charm as instantly as I had. I was scared that Edward's glare would burn a hole through her skull, but Alice ignored him as if he wasn't even in the room.

When Alice presented me with a gift, Edward became observant, dropping his hate-filled demeanor instantly. I tried to avoid opening it, but everyone, including my boyfriend, insisted which left me with no other option. I couldn't fight the genuine smile that broke across my face. Alice had gotten me the entire collection of John Carpenter's _Halloween _movies, which had been a long time favorite of mine. I gave her a tight hug, which she held for longer than appropriate under the gaze of my boyfriend.

I presented her with a gift card that gladly was worth nearly the same amount as the movie set for a little Italian boutique in Port Angeles, which was ran by the wife of the owner of _La Bella Italia_, called _Ama La __Mode_. Alice had mentioned that she loved it there, so I thought a gift card was a good idea.

After Alice left, Edward followed suit shortly after, his jaw tight as if he wanted to rip someone's throat out. He still, however, managed to tell me he loved me and mumble sweet nothings into my ear like he did every other day, not a sign of anger anywhere in his voice. He had always been a talented actor.

When we hung out after Christmas, he seemed to be fine, but I could tell that something was eating him alive, especially if Alice was ever brought into conversation. It seemed like ignorance had become his best friend, and I wasn't sure if that was better than him usually being straight to the point.

Alice waltzed back into my room, breaking me out of my reverie. "Are you going to get ready now, Bella?" she asked, stuffing her gel back into her duffel bag.

"I guess so," I replied, yanking my only white shirt out of my closet, which happened to be an A Day To Remember t-shirt, a pair of skinny jeans, and a black beanie, and went into the bathroom to get changed.

"Not to be rude or anything," Alice said as I returned to my room, "but aren't you going to dress up a little more than that?"

I looked down at my clothes. I thought I looked fine. It wasn't as if we were going to a formal party or anything. "No, I don't have to, so I won't."

Alice rolled her eyes and all but pushed me out of the the room, eager to get to the party. We grabbed jackets and headed out into the biting cold. She navigated the ice and snow smoothly in her heels, not even slipping an inch, while I stumbled and slid until I reached the safety of the Cullen's porch.

Edward answered the door, a goofy grin plastering his face while he pulled me in for a tight, uncomfortable hug. "Hey, beautiful. I'm happy you're here," he whispered in my ear, to which I returned a simple greeting. When he finally let me go, I entered his house and wasn't surprised by what I saw. The Cullen family was obviously filthy rich, so the living room being gutted out and practically changed into a night club would seem normal even if this didn't happen every year.

Edward captured my lips in a sloppy kiss, and I could faintly smell alcohol coming from him. As his tongue forced its way into my mouth, my eyes opened to meet Alice's, and smiled at the amused twinkle in her eye from the discomfort I was feeling. Edward, pleased with the fact that I was smiling mid-kiss, released me from his arms.

Since we were early like I had promised Edward we would be, I went over and sat with Emmett, who was sitting atop the bar, a new addition for the special occasion, and made him get me a Coke seeing as I knew he would be the one serving people their drinks tonight. As far as I knew, he wanted to be a "mixologist" and jumped at any opportunity to make a drink, even something as simple as pouring soda.

Alice came and sat by me, stealing my glass of pop and took a sip from it. Her eyebrow rose as she asked, "Not even a little alcohol, Bells?"

I snorted and shot back, "I'm shocked that with an uptight father like you have that you even know what alcohol _smells_ like, let alone its taste. But no, I'm not drinking because I have to drive us home, and driving under the influence is illegal and I don't want to get arrested."

She chuckled in response and agreed, as the house began to fill up with people. Edward had decided to DJ the party on his own after all, and I thanked whatever God was listening to me for the blessing. I was finding it hard to put up with him when he was sober, and I knew I would get pissed off by his drunken attempts to make me sleep with him that he would rarely bring up if he didn't have alcohol in his system. They do say that your true intentions come out when you're drunk, don't they? I silently hoped that he wouldn't drink anymore tonight, so then he would be almost ninety percent normal.

By the time the second song came on, almost everyone, which was almost the entire population of Forks High, was dancing, and Alice didn't want to be one of the few who wasn't. "Do you want to dance with me, Bella?"

At this point I froze, partially because I didn't know _how_ to dance, and partially because it was _Alice_ who wanted me to dance with her. My voice box could only churn out an, "Uh..."

"Oh, come on, Bells! It'll be fun!" she screeched as she grabbed my hand and dragged me to the floor.

As _More_ by Usher sounded through the house, causing the floor to shake, Alice turned around and slid her leg in between mine and started to, for lack of a better word, grind on me like girls usually do to their boyfriend. I attempted to move in the same way as she did, and soon got comfortable even though my body was alight with tingles and my center was throbbing.

I leaned into her, and said, "I thought you've never been to a party before? You seem to be pretty comfortable."

"Just because I've never been to a party before doesn't mean I've never been to a club," she answered, and even over the thundering music I could tell that her voice was breathy. Her arms wrapped around my neck as we continued to dance, and my hands sought out a place on her waist. Her shirt had ridden up and so my right hand was on the bare skin of her back, which grew increasingly more sticky with sweat. It was strange how comfortable we were together when we only knew each other for three weeks. It was as if she was my best friend.

The song changed into one that I didn't recognize, and as I glanced around, I caught sight of Edward at his booth, his eyes glued on me. It was evident that his emotions were a mixture of anger and lust. Anger because of my close proximity with Alice, and lust because, lets face it, straight boys love seeing even the smallest acts of lesbianism.

I averted my gaze as Alice shifted closer, her breasts pressing against mine, making my body erupt in a fresh wave of tingles. We danced for a few more songs until Alice's skin was slick under my hands, and her breath was coating my neck as she rested her head on my shoulder.

She let go of me, but kept a firm grip on my hand as she steered us through the crowd. Just as I was wondering where we were going, we stopped at the bar and she got Emmett to grab her a cooler. We sat at the bar while I got another glass of Coke and we both guzzled down our drinks.

A slow song started emitting from the speakers, and I was positive that it was _Only One_ by Yellowcard. I felt a tap on my arm and turned around to see Edward with his hand outstretched. "May I have this dance?" he asked. I glanced at Alice to see her shoo me away and yell at Emmett to bring her another cooler.

I put my hand in his and we walked to the floor, and once we stopped, my hands entwined behind his head and his hands found their place on my ass. We twirled slowly in circles in time with the song, and he leaned down and whispered an "I love you" in my ear. I rested my head on his shoulder instead of responding. Edward's hand brushed some of my hair out of the way and placed a gently kiss on my neck.

Once the song ended, we parted ways, Edward going back to the booth, and me going over to Alice who was eying me the entire way over.

"Can I talk to you somewhere, you know, quiet?" she questioned as soon as I got into hearing range. I nodded and wrapped my hand around hers, leading her up the stairs and to a room that I knew would be empty: Carlisle's study.

We entered the room lined with books and art, and I turned on the light. Alice looked a little dazed by the office, much like I was when I first stepped in here. However, her daze broke quickly, and she looked me in the eyes with determination burning in them, but also sympathy.

"You don't love Edward, do you?" she asked quietly, leaving me dumbfounded.

"Uh..."

"Bella, you don't have to worry. I won't say _anything _about this conversation," she promised. I felt like I could trust her with my answer.

"No, I don't," I confirmed. She nodded to herself.

"Do you mind me asking why?"

"Um," I said, clearing my throat. "You see... it's just, you know... the feelings are not there. I love him, but it's more of the brotherly sort," I stopped, cleared my throat again and scratched the back of my neck. "It's awkward and annoying to kiss him, and it's irritating to hear him call me beautiful all the damn time."

"If you love him like a brother, then why are you still with him romantically?" she asked, true curiosity in her eyes. Again, she stumped me.

"I... don't know, to be honest. I don't want to hurt him."

"But you're willing to be miserable just to salvage his happiness? That doesn't make sense, Bella," she said bluntly. I guess I could see her point. I'm not happy in a relationship with him, and sometimes its good to be selfish, so why am I worried about his happiness more than my own?

"You're right. It doesn't. It's just me being selfless again." She nodded in agreement.

"And, I mean, there are a _lot_ of different options for you, different people to pursue a relationship with who could make you happy, you know, seeing as things aren't working out with Edward. I'm just looking out for your well-being, Bella," she said as she smiled at me. She was right, as usual. There was one person that I wanted to be with that I knew would make me happy, and it definitely wasn't Edward. In order to even _attempt_ to have a relationship with the one person would mean that I had to break up with Edward, sooner better than later.

"Thank you, Alice. It means a lot and this talk cleared my head," I said, enveloping her in a hug that lasted a few moments.

"You're welcome, Bella," she whispered in my ear, and I had to restrain myself from shivering. When she pulled back, she smiled and said, "Wanna go dance again?" I followed her willingly down the stairs.

* * *

After everyone brought in the New Year with rounds of shots, incredible amounts of alcohol, and boisterous singing, it was two in the morning before the majority of people had cleared out. Alice had her share of shots and proved to be less of a lightweight than I had originally thought, but she had enough to drink that I knew she was drunk. Although she wasn't passed out yet, she stumbled around a lot and her words started to slur, and she was guaranteed to have a hangover in the morning.

I took this as my sign to bring her home, so I wrapped my arms around her waist and guided her out to my truck. The trip on the ice covered driveway would have been difficult even if I was flying solo, but an intoxicated Alice made it ten times harder.

Once I got her to my truck, I decided that I needed to talk to Edward. Alice laid down on my truck seat, so I grabbed an extra sweater I always had stored in there and put it under her head as a makeshift pillow.

I reached over and brushed some hair out of Alice's face. "I'll be back in a few minutes, okay? Just stay there." She mumbled a groggy "okay" and her eyes fluttered shut. I closed the door and locked it, just to be on the safe side, and ventured back into the Cullen's home.

I found Edward eating chips and laughing with Emmett and a drunk Rosalie at the bar while she told a lame joke that wasn't funny but was so stupid that you had to laugh hysterically. My boyfriend looked over at me and his eyes glowed with love. They weren't glossy, though, so I knew that the alcohol he consumed earlier had worn off a little, and he was almost completely sober and would remember our conversation.

"Babe! You're back!" he said loudly. "Are the roads too bad? Do you and what's her name need to stay over?"

I scratched my neck, standing there awkwardly with Edward, Emmett, and Rosalie's eyes on me. "No, Alice and I are fine to make it back to my house."

"Oh, well did you forget something? Like a good-bye kiss, because I know you definitely forgot that."

"Uh, no, that's not why I'm back either," I replied. I took a deep breath and realized that it was time to get this over with. "Listen, Edward, can I talk to you for a few minutes? Alone?" I asked uncomfortably.

I looked up to meet his eyes just in time to see worry flash before them, but he nodded and led me into another room where he was unaware that heartbreak was waiting for him.

**

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A/N: It's been a while, huh? I didn't intend to not upload anything in this long, because my original intent was to have it up for New Years' Eve, but it ended up happening anyway. I just didn't have the courage to do anything like this, and I was feeling really empty, and I couldn't write like that. Plus I had some personal things to get over.

**I had tried my damnedest to finish this on Monday night, and _did_ finish it, but the site wasn't allowing me to upload anything. I tried again and again, but no luck until now. :P **

**Anyway. I guess this turned out okay. I'd like to hear your opinions and whatnot, but it's up to you to drop a review or not.**

**No promises on when Chapter Nine will be up, but it should be soon. If any of you are following The Ward, a new chapter is in the works and should be up soon.**

**Hope you all had a lovely Christmas and New Year, Valentine's Day, Saint Patrick's Day, and Spring Break. Wow. It _has _been a while.**

**Adios amigos!**


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